J. T. Lawless Biography


	This biography appears on pages 643-644 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				J. T. LAWLESS. 

	J. T. Lawless, who carries on general farming on section 3, 
Farmington township, Lake county, owes his success not to any happy 
combination of circumstances, to influence or the aid of friends, but 
to his persistent, earnest efforts. He was born in Fillmore county, 
Minnesota, on the 7th of December, 1868, and is a son of Richard and 
Bridget Lawless, who came with their family to Dakota territory in 
1877, driving across the country with two covered wagons. They brought 
with them fourteen head of cattle and when the long and wearisome 
journey was completed they took up their abode on section 11, township 
107, range 53, where Mr. Lawless took up a homestead and also took up a 
timber claim. He cultivated his land until his sons were able to buy 
the property. 

	J. T. Lawless was a little lad of but nine years when the family 
came to South Dakota and he attended the district schools of the 
neighborhood and afterward the high school of Madison, South Dakota. 
During periods of vacation he worked in the fields and when his school 
days were over he gave his father the benefit of his services in the 
further development and improvement of the old home place. At the age 
of twenty-six years he began farming on his own account on a quarter 
section of land belonging to his father, who at that time owned an 
entire section. In 1905 he purchased his present place, including one 
hundred and sixty acres on section 3, Farmington township, and an equal 
amount on section 10. He rents a quarter section of his land and 
confines his attention to the further development and improvement of 
the remainder. The farm is thoroughly modern and up-to-date in every 
respect. He uses the latest improved machinery and has erected all of 
the buildings upon his land. Everything about the place is thoroughly 
modern and his work is so directed that large crops are annually 
gathered as a return for the care and labor which he bestows upon the 
fields. In addition to his other interests he is connected with the 
Battle Creek Telephone Company. 

	On the 14th of June, 1904, Mr. Lawless was united in marriage to 
Miss Anna Schnell, a daughter of Joseph Schnell and a representative of 
an honored pioneer family. She passed away on the 27th of December, 
1912, leaving the following children: R. Joseph, James, Cyril, John and 
Mary Anna. 

	Mr. Lawless is a communicant of the Catholic church. In politics 
he is independent, voting for the candidate whom he thinks best 
qualified for office without regard to party affiliations. His interest 
in South Dakota and particularly in his home locality is deep and 
sincere and is manifest in hearty cooperation with the plans and 
movements that are instituted for the benefit and upbuilding of the 
county.